help, my brain is receding

[pixburg-reefer]

Hi everyone,
I have had an orange open brain coral for around 5 months. It has always been on my sand bed. But just recently I have noticed a dramatic tissue receding problem. On all sides of my brain coral, which is 4 inches long, the tissue has TOTALLY receded from all sides, a good inch or so, and only the bare skeleton is showing. It looks good during the day, with the top part fully extended and fluffy but it has had very dramatic tissue recession and I'm worried that this will kill my brain coral.I do not know how long this has been happening for it was sitting on my sandbed and I didn't notice the tissure receding. Also at night it totally shrivels up now, it never shows its feeding tenticles. And it's mouth gapes open showing the inside of the skeleton. I know it seems to be in stress but I simply do not understand why. It has been doing this at night for a few weeks now. My water tests have been a little high, so I have been trying to do a 5% water change 2 times a week with RO water which I have always used, to bring some of the readings down. But here is what the most recient readings have been-
Ammonia-0
PH-8.4
Alk- between reguler and high (using red sea test kits)
Nitrite- between .05 and.1
I'm sorry I do not have an up to date nitrate test.
I have not scene any animals or fish picking at it at all and my I add that all other corals, fish, and inverts, seem happy and helthy as usual. I have had no other problems.
Thanks you very much. If their is any other information that you need/would like to know, please tell me.
Thanks again,
Kelly

[MiddletonMark]

Hi Kelly

Do you have a picture? Not sure if I've seen an orange open brain - so want to be sure I'm not giving advice for a different brain Genus that I think.

You got some good info up above, could you answer the questions in this thread?
http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=272261

Thanks! ... I'll stay tuned :)

[pixburg-reefer]

I do have a picture put it won't post it because I have it posted as a jpg. So I'm working on changing that, sorry. I'll try to get it up soon.
Okay, I believe the species is trachphyllia geoffroyi aka-open brain but it was not sold with that scientific name.
I believe that it has had problems for the last month or so. It has never really "been it's self" at night or during the day starting around that time. Looks like it is spreding rapidley. I have added NO new additives or livestock. My tank has been set up 2+ years. 55 gallon reef. Near by corals are ricordia and zoanthids. I know that softies have done this to lps corals, but it's only one polyp ind it's about 5 inches away. I try to keep the temp at 79 deg. my salinity is 1.024. I'm sorry, I do not have any recent phosphate or nitrate tests. They are old. I have 440 watts of vho but the bulbs are old and need changed. I have 2 small 100 mph pumps on each side of the tank. I have little flow but so much flow comes from my skimmer and filter I feel I don't need any more, that it would be too much. I add calcium and iodide. Calcium weekley, iodide every other week.
does that help? Sorry, I should have had that stuff in the first post.
Kelly

[MiddletonMark]

Hmmm ... nothing really jumps out to me - but I would consider discontinuing the Iodine dosing [unless you test]. I guess as one thing is acting odd, I'd discontinue any such supplimentation except Ca/Alk.

For the meantime, I'd suggest a couple water changes. At worst it just balances out levels ... but I've found them rarely negative.

And otherwise ... I'll stay tuned for a pic, bump this back up for others to comment on.

[pixburg-reefer]

i don't add much iodine any more, just a half a cap. I used to add it fr the mushrooms but I got rid of most of those.
I sent you the picture. Thanks a lot!
Kelly

[MiddletonMark]

Here's her brain coral
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/560/28196orangebrain.jpg

Doesn't look good to me :(

[pixburg-reefer]

yeah, that's it. Thank you so much. I tried to get a good shot of the skeleton for you guys. See, you can see the tissue not on te skeleton, where it should be....
Do you think that their is hope?
Kelly

[Ron Leversee]

Doesn't look like there is much hope,,, But may be someone has an Idea...

[MCsaxmaster]

In my experience this type of recession is almost always related to either one, deteriorated water quality (high nitrate and phosphate levels), or two, to some sort of toxin in the water (possibly soft coral metabolites). In any event, I'd start bailing water like mad. If it were me I'd do about four 50% water changes asap to get nearly all the old water out. You could do one a day, or even faster depending on how quickly you can mix water, aerate it, and in what quantities. After this I'd wait and watch for 2-3 days. During this time I'd be tracking down a good nitrate and phosphate test kit and praying. When all was said and done I would have spent less than $100, hopefully saved my brain coral, and will have a much healthier tank in general. Certainly feel free to check in here and ask more questions, but I think the barrage of waterchanges is the way to go.

Cheers,

-Chris

[MCsaxmaster]

Also, this species really prefers to be on the sandbed. I'd move it there. The recession you're seeing is possibly due to irritation on the rocks, though I highly doubt that as the cause.

Cheers,

-Chris

[pixburg-reefer]

thanks chris. Actutally it was in the sand, i did know that is where they liked to be. I just moved it to the rocks to take the picture. On the sand you could not see this problem, that is why I am just noticing it. Thats all
I will do a water change today.
Thanks
Kelly

[pixburg-reefer]

it still looks horrible today. Anyone else have any ideas on what do to/or what else could be the problem?
Thanks
Kelly

[Ron Leversee]

From the pic it looks like my plate that had tissue deteriating and it lasted just a short time... Be careful it doesn't foul the water..

[pixburg-reefer]

it doesn't smell bad, but from the looks of it, i think it's been going on for a while, because the skeleton is not bright white, as it would be if it just happened. It looks like it's *old*/off white yet i do not know how long this has been happening. I know it did not look like this 5 months ago.
Kelly

[Ron Leversee]

That part of the coral does look like it has been dead for a while. Just be careful.. it may make it but you just never know... If your water quality and all the numbers are good, it is a wait and see process. :)

[pixburg-reefer]

okay thanks for your help. Maybe I'll just see if i can trade it off to someone and see if it does better in their tank. I don't want it do die, it is really pretty.
Thanks for all the help guys
Kelly

[EricHugo]

You should make sure your water quality is good, because without that, there is no "magic bullet" to keep corals alive or save them. Corals don't really grow in degraded water. Water changes solve the problem initially, but if chronic, then I suggest you go to the reefkeeping general forum or read a few books, talk to some experienced reefkeepers, attend a club meeting, etc. to determine how better to set-up your tank to maintain higher water quality.

[rfb3]

How did your openbrain work out? Mine is receding as well, but only in one small spot...
Is it normal for the open brains to srivelup at night? I once saw a shripm picking the recently fed food out of the mouth. That's when I quit feeding.
Mine opens up well during the day, but I rarely see the feeding tenticles...
My water is good except Nitrates are ~20, and PO4 around 0.25.
Any advise?

[pixburg-reefer]

all of the tissue deteriated off of it :( and now it is a bare skeleton, no signs of budding either. it just withered away, hopefully you have better luck with yours :)
Kelly